Julia Bradbury’s ‘Best Walks with a View’ Yorkshire Dales - Malham

Best known for her work as a Countryfile presenter, Julia Bradbury is also a keen walker who loves exploring off the beaten track. In her new series for ITV Julia travelled the highways and byways of England in search of the ‘Best Walks With a View’, and explored several special National Trust sites along the way including Malham.

For each episode Julia picked out a family-friendly trek that can easily be done in a morning or afternoon. As well as taking in the spectacular views, she also took the chance to uncover local history, meet the people who live and work in these stunning locations, and discover the best spot for a pub lunch or picnic.

In episode six she paid a visit to the Yorkshire Dales to discover the rugged moorland and wooded valleys of the Malham Tarn Estate. On a circular walk from Malham village, Julia visited Janet’s Foss and Malham Cove.

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I couldn’t agree more with Alfred Wainwright words “Malham Cove is the greatest natural feature on the whole Pennine Way”. It’s the lush woodland of Janet’s Foss and the beautiful limestone pavements that I adore."

- Julia Bradbury

The beautiful waterfall at Janet’s Foss is a magical place to visit, only a short walk from Malham. Foss is the old Scandinavian word for waterfall and legend tells us that Janet (or Jennet), queen of the local fairies, lived in a cave behind the waterfall. Somewhat uneven and rocky towards the end, this route provides that little bit of excitement to tempt the kids. This walk is particularly memorable in springtime as the woodland is a mass of wild garlic.

Follow in Julia's footsteps

If you’ve been inspired by seeing this special place on TV, why not pull on your walking boots and follow in Julia’s footsteps? Walk Julia's route for yourself, by visiting The Outdoor Guide website, or follow our downloadable route below.

A scenic walk from Malham village to the magical waterfall at Janet's Foss, following the beck along gravel paths and through fields and woodlands.

Other things you might see when you visit

We also look after areas above and below Malham Cove, an impressive limestone cliff on the outskirts of Malham village, formed at the end of the last ice age by meltwater from glaciers. Today thousands of people visit this awe inspiring place each year, standing at the foot of the 80m cliff face or climbing the steep steps to marvel at the far reaching views from the top or step across the fascinating clints and grykes of the limestone pavement.

Record levels of rainfall at the beginning of December 2015 meant that Malham Cove briefly became the tallest unbroken waterfall in England, a record normally held by Hardraw Force in Wensleydale.